Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
The Federal Government has threatened to come down hard on individuals or companies that engage in unauthorised and indiscriminate drilling of boreholes in the country.
The enforcement, according to government, would be done by the Nigeria Integrated Water Resources Management Commission (NIWRMC), which has the constitutional authority to manage water facilities in Nigeria.
Executive Director, NIWRMC, Magashi Umar Bashir, stated this in Abuja, yesterday, when he received a delegation from borehole drillers and rig owners association who visited him.
He asked borehole drillers and rig owners to endeavour to obtain permits from the commission before embarking on any drilling activity or they would be sanctioned.
“The Commission is concerned about equitable distribution of scarce resources to citizens for the rapid economic development particularly through agricultural and industrial revolution ventures that are wholly dependent on water.
The resource when properly managed in an integrated way will make access to improved water sources easier for the women and the girl child who incidentally bear the drudgery of scarcity of this resource for domestic use.
“As you carry out your activities in the rural areas, you’re implored to also sensitise the people on the importance of the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and the need for regulation of the resources.
I wish to reiterate the need for borehole data which will be used to develop the aquifer geometry and characteristics of the area.
This information is imperative in the planning and management of groundwater resources of the country as it will guide the operators in carrying out their drilling activities.
Indiscriminate drilling of holes has, obviously, become a menace and we need to tackle it collectively. Ask your members to come and obtain permits from the Commission or risk sanctioned,” he said.
Leader of the delegation, Francis Uzoma, assured that members would be mobilised to secure permits before engaging in drilling. He promised that members would collaborate with the commission to sanitise the system and ensure that unlicensed persons do not gain entry into the industry.